January Diet Culture

You know its New Year’s when…… all the SlimFast and Atkins shakes go on sale. I used to be a part of this diet culture – “messing up” during the holidays (read: enjoying food and family) and revving up a new attempt to lose that weight Jan 1 – as if a single day made all the difference in motivation, or that this year I’d be successful. Supplements, shakes, powders, diets, you name it – being a larger person its kind of expected you participate in the New Year’s weight loss resolutions.

When I started studying to be a dietitian I decided to stop. I learned and realized in my own life that I had a bad relationship with food, and there’s no way I could coach others to have a good relationship with food if I still had problems like this – so I stopped participating. In New Year’s weight loss resolutions, and in diet culture altogether. I’ve gained some weight over the last few years (a side effect of sitting a lot and many hours studying/not at the gym) but I am much happier and more sane for it.

I wonder why people choose these products over actual food? I realize shakes and powders are convenient for the morning work rush, but if this aisle was full of oatmeal and beans people would walk right by. And oatmeal and beans are much tastier than shakes. People do love a quick fix – and weight loss through nutrition is rather slow.